reducing　their　audience　to　tears！　What　would　you　have　said　about　us
  then？　Why；　even　now；　when　you　know　we　only　wish　to　amuse　you；　not　to
  make　you　suffer；　you　must　needs　hold　us　up　to　shame。〃
  ＇14＇　〃And　is　not　the　shame　justified？〃　Agla？tadas　replied。　〃The　man
  who　sets　himself　to　make　his　fellows　laugh　does　far　less　for　them　than
  he　who　makes　them　weep。　If　you　will　but　think；　you　will　admit　that
  what　I　say　is　true。　It　is　through　tears　our　fathers　teach　self…control
  unto　their　sons；　and　our　tutors　sound　learning　to　their　scholars；　and
  the　laws　themselves　lead　the　grown　man　to　righteousness　by　putting　him
  to　sit　in　the　place　of　penitence。　But　your　mirth…makers；　can　you　say
  they　benefit　the　body　or　edify　the　soul？　Can　smiles　make　a　man　a
  better　master　or　a　better　citizen？　Can　he　learn　economy　or
  statesmanship　from　a　grin？〃
  ＇15＇　But　Hystaspas　answered　back：
  〃Take　my　advice；　Agla？tadas；　pluck　up　heart　and　spend　this　precious
  gift　of　yours　on　your　enemies：　make　them　sit　in　the　seat　of　the
  sorrowful；　and　fling　away　on　us；　your　friends；　that　vile　and　worthless
  laughter。　You　must　have　an　ample　store　of　it　in　reserve：　it　cannot　be
  said　you　have　squandered　it　on　yourself；　or　ever　wasted　a　smile　on
  friend　or　foreigner　if　you　could　help　it。　So　you　have　no　excuse　to　be
  niggardly　now；　and　cannot　refuse　us　a　smile。〃
  〃I　see；〃　said　Agla？tadas；　〃you　are　trying　to　get　a　laugh　out　of　me；
  are　you　not？〃
  But　the　brigadier　interposed；　〃Then　he　is　a　fool　for　his　pains；　my
  friend：　one　might　strike　fire　out　of　you；　perhaps；　but　not　a　laugh；
  not　a　laugh。〃
  ＇16＇　At　this　sally　all　the　others　shouted　with　glee；　and　even
  Agla？tadas　could　not　help　himself：　he　smiled。
  And　Cyrus；　seeing　the　sombre　face　light　up　said：
  〃Brigadier；　you　are　very　wrong　to　corrupt　so　virtuous　a　man；　luring
  him　to　laughter；　and　that　too　when　he　is　the　sworn　foe　of　gaiety。〃
  So　they　talked　and　jested。　＇17＇　And　then　Chrysantas　began　on　another
  theme。
  ＇18＇　〃Cyrus；〃　he　said；　〃and　gentlemen　all；　I　cannot　help　seeing　that
  within　our　ranks　are　men　of　every　kind；　some　better　and　some　worse；
  and　yet　if　anything　is　won　every　man　will　claim　an　equal　share。　Now　to
  my　mind　nothing　is　more　unfair　than　that　the　base　man　and　the　good
  should　be　held　of　equal　account。〃
  〃Perhaps　it　would　be　best；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cyrus　in　answer；　〃to　bring
  the　matter　before　the　army　in　council　and　put　it　to　them；　whether；　if
  God　grant　us　success；　we　should　let　all　share　and　share　alike；　or
  distribute　the　rewards　and　honours　in　proportion　to　the　deserts　of
  each。〃
  ＇19＇　〃But　why；〃　asked　Chrysantas；　〃why　discuss　the　point？　Why　not
  simply　issue　a　general　order　that　you　intend　to　do　this？　Was　not　that
  enough　in　the　case　of　the　competitions？〃
  〃Doubtless；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃but　this　case　is　different。　The　troops；
  I　take　it；　will　feel　that　all　they　win　by　their　services　on　the
  campaign　should　belong　to　them　in　common：　but　they　hold　that　the
  actual　command　of　the　expedition　was　mine　by　right　even　before　we　left
  home；　so　that　I　was　fully　entitled；　on　their　view；　to　appoint　umpires
  and　judges　at　my　own　will。〃
  ＇20＇　〃And　do　you　really　expect；〃　asked　Chrysantas；　〃that　the　mass　of
  the　army　will　pass　a　resolution　giving　up　the　right　of　all　to　an　equal
  share　in　order　that　the　best　men　should　receive　the　most？〃
  〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃partly　because　we　shall　be　there　to　argue
  for　that　course；　but　chiefly　because　it　would　seem　too　base　to　deny
  that　he　who　works　the　hardest　and　does　most　for　the　common　good
  deserves　the　highest　recompense。　Even　the　worst　of　men　must　admit　that
  the　brave　should　gain　the　most。〃
  ＇21＇　It　was；　however；　as　much　for　the　sake　of　the　Peers　themselves　as
  for　any　other　reason　that　Cyrus　wished　the　resolution　to　be　passed。
  They　would　prove　all　the　better　men；　he　thought；　if　they　too　were　to
  be　judged　by　their　deeds　and　rewarded　accordingly。　And　this　was　the
  right　moment；　he　felt；　to　raise　the　question　and　put　it　to　the　vote；
  now　when　the　Peers　were　disposed　to　resent　being　put　on　a　level　with
  the　common　people。　In　the　end　it　was　agreed　by　all　the　company　that
  the　question　should　be　raised；　and　that　every　one　who　claimed　to　call
  himself　a　man　was　bound　to　argue　in　its　favour。
  ＇22＇　And　on　that　one　of　the　brigadiers　smiled　to　himself　and　said：　〃I
  know　at　least　one　son　of　the　soil　who　will　be　ready　to　agree　that　the
  principle　of　share　and　share　alike　should　not　be　followed　everywhere。〃
  〃And　who　is　he？〃　another　asked。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　first；　〃he　is　a　member　of　our　quarters；　I　can　tell
  you　that；　and　he　is　always　hunting　after　the　lion's　share　of　every
  single　thing。〃
  〃What？　Of　everything？〃　said　a　third。　〃Of　work　as　well？〃　〃Oh；　no！〃　said
  the　first；　〃you　have　caught　me　there。　I　was　wrong　to　say　so　much；　I
  must　confess。　When　it　comes　to　work；　I　must　admit；　he　is　quite　ready
  to　go　short：　he　will　give　up　his　own　share　of　that；　without　a　murmur；
  to　any　man　whatever。〃
  ＇23＇　〃For　my　part；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃I　hold　that　all　such
  idlers　ought　to　be　turned　out　of　the　army；　that　is；　if　we　are　ever　to
  cultivate　obedience　and　energy　in　our　men。　The　bulk　of　our　soldiers；　I
  take　it；　are　of　the　type　to　follow　a　given　lead：　they　will　seek　after
  nobleness　and　valour　if　their　leaders　are　valiant　and　noble；　but　after
  baseness　if　these　are　base。　＇24＇　And　we　know　that　only　too　often　the
  worthless　will　find　more　friends　than　the　good。　Vice；　passing　lightly
  along　her　path　of　pleasure；　wins　the　hearts　of　thousands　with　her
  gifts；　but　Virtue；　toiling　up　the　steep　ascent；　has　little　skill　to
  snare　the　souls　of　men　and　draw　them　after　her；　when　all　the　while
  their　comrades　are　calling　to　them　on　the　easy　downward　way。　＇25＇　It
  is　true　there　are　degrees；　and　where　the　evil　springs　only　from　sloth
  and　lethargy；　I　look　on　the　creatures　as　mere　drones；　only　injuring
  the　hive　by　what　they　cost：　but　there　are　others；　backward　in　toil　and
  forward　in　greed；　and　these　are　the　captains　in　villainy：　for　not
  seldom　can　they　show　that　rascality　has　its　advantages。　Such　as　they
  must　be　removed；　cut　out　from　among　us；　root　and　branch。　＇26＇　And　I
  would　not　have　you　fill　their　places　from　our　fellow…citizens　alone；
  but；　just　as　you　choose　your　horses　from　the　best　stocks；　wherever　you
  find　them；　not　limiting　yourselves　to　the　national　breed；　so　you　have
  all　mankind　before　you；　and　you　should　choose　those；　and　those　only；
  who　will　increase　your　power　and　add　to　your　honour。　Let　me　clinch　my
  argument　by　examples：　no　chariot　can　travel　fast　if　the　horses　in　the
  team　are　slow；　or　run　straight　if　they　will　not　be　ruled；　no　house　can
  stand　firm　if　the　household　is　evil：　better　empty　walls　than　traitors
  who　will　bring　it　to　the　ground。
  ＇27＇　〃And　be　sure；　my　friends；〃　he　added；　〃the　removal　of　the　bad
  means　a　benefit　beyond　the　sheer　relief　that　they　are　taken　away　and
  will　trouble　us　no　more：　those　who　are　left　and　were　ripe　for
  contagion　are　purified；　and　those　who　were　worthy　will　cleave　to
  virtue　all　the　closer　when　they　see　the　dishonour　that　falls　on
  wickedness。〃
  ＇28＇　So　Cyrus　spoke；　and　his　words　won　the　praise　of　all　his　friends；
  and　they　set　themselves　to　do　as　he　advised。
  But　after　that　Cyrus　began　to　jest　again。　His　eye　fell　on　a　certain
  captain　who　had　chosen　for　his　comrade　at　the　feast　a　great　hairy　lad；
  a　veritable　monster　of　ugliness；　and　Cyrus　called　to　the　captain　by
  name：　〃How　now；　Sambulas？　Have　you　adopted　the　Hellenic　fashion　too？
  And　will　you　roam　the　world　together；　you　and　the　lad　who　sits　beside
  you；　because　there　is　none　so　fair　as　he？〃　〃By　heaven；〃　answered
  Sambulas；　〃you　are　not　far　wrong。　It　is　bliss　to　me　to　feast　my　eyes
  upon　him。〃　＇29＇　At　that　all　the　guests　turned　and　looked　on　the　young
  man's　face；　but　when　they　saw　how　ugly　it　was；　they　could　not　help
  laughing　outright。　〃Heavens；　Sambulas；　tell　us　the　valiant　deed　that
  knit　your　souls　together！　How　has　he　drawn　you　to　himself？〃　＇30＇
  〃Listen　then；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　will　tell　you　the　whole　truth。
  Every　time　I　call　him；　morning；　noon；　or　night；　he　comes　to　me；　never
  yet　has　he　excused　himself；　never　been　too　busy　to　attend；　and　he
  comes　at　a　run；　he　does　not　walk。　Whatever　I　have　bidden　him　do；　he
  has　always　done　it；　and　at　the　top　of　his　speed。　He　has　made　all　the
  petty　captains　under　him　the　very　models　of　industry；　he　shows　them；
  not　by　word　but　deed；　what　they　ought　to　be。〃　＇31＇　〃And　so；〃　said
  another；　〃for　all　these　virtues　you　give　him；　I　take　it；　the　kiss　of
  kinship？〃　But　the　ugly　lad　broke　out：　〃Not　he！　He　has　no　great　love
  for　work。　And　to　kiss　me；　if　it　came　to　that；　would　mean　more　effort
  than　all　his　exercises。〃
  ＇C。3＇　So　the　hours　passed　in　the　general's　tent；　from　grave　to　gay；
  until　at　last　the　third　libation　was　poured　out；　and　the　company　bent
  in　prayer　to　the　gods〃Grant　us　all　that　is　good〃and　so　broke　up；
  and　went　away　to　sleep。
  But　the　next　day　Cyrus　assembled　the　soldiers　in　full　conclave；　and
  spoke　to　them：　＇2＇　〃My　men；〃　he　said；　〃my　friends；　the　day　of　struggle
  is　at　hand；　and　the　enemy　are　near。　The　prizes　of　victory；　if　victory
  is　to　be　oursand　we　must　believe　it　will　be　ours；　we　must　make　it
  oursthe　prizes　of　victory　will　be　nothing　short　of　the　enemy　himself
  and　all　that　he　possesses。